


The Necklace

by KennaxVal



Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-03 22:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17886332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KennaxVal/pseuds/KennaxVal





	The Necklace

This is it. 

Hana has dreaded this day for months now, but she has to follow through. If she doesn’t marry Neville Vancoeur, her parents will disown her. A terrible thought, indeed. For if her parents won’t talk to her, who will she have? The idea of being alone scares her more than anything. Even more than the disgusting prospect of being touched by a man, especially the one her parents choose for her.

For the duration of their engagement, Hana’s managed to stave off Lord Neville by insisting that she couldn’t sleep with him until after marriage. This caused several fights, some of them bad enough that Hana hoped he might choose to leave her. But she’ll have no choice tonight. Neville will expect to do whatever he pleases to his new wife. Hana imagines his clammy hands caressing her and his chapped lips on her mouth. Or in more intimate places. She finds a trash can in which to vomit.

Upon returning to her room, Hana finds Riley waiting for her. They say nothing, opting to hold each other close. Hana takes in the citrus smell of Riley’s brown hair and begins to cry. She never wants to let go.

“It’ll be ok,” Riley says rubbing Hana’s back, “no matter what I’ll always be here for you.”

Hana leans back to look Riley in the eyes as if for the last time. She knows the woman of her dreams means well, but there will be limitations due to this unholy union. Hana already knows Neville will never allow her to see her friends again. And that’s when she notices the gold necklace hanging around Riley’s neck.

“This was a gift from my grandmother just before she died,” Riley explains, opening the locket to reveal an elderly couple together. “She and my grandfather loved each other very much and died only a few weeks apart. My grandmother told me to wear this in times of sadness so they could be close to me.”

Hana and Riley weep together that they will soon be denied the same love. But as her mind races, Hana realizes the significance of the necklace. If she marries Neville, she’ll give him her best years, be separated from the one she truly loves, and when she’s old, he’ll abandon her for a new, younger wife. The fact that her parents would impose this upon her means they don’t love her, and nothing she does will change that fact. The loneliness Hana fears will come to pass only if she follows through on this loathsome marriage.

“Riley, let’s grow old together.”

“Hana, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I can’t marry Neville. I won’t. I need to spend my life with you. That’s the only way I’ll be happy.”

The two women share a kiss before Riley excitedly makes a call to Liam. Within minutes, Bastien is at the door ready to sneak them out. Hand in hand, Hana and Riley follow Bastien as he expertly leads them away from the ceremony and any prying eyes. They arrive outside to find Liam in his personal limo.

“To Valtoria,” Liam calls out to the driver, “it’s time for my friends to make the duchy into a real home.”

Hana knows that her parents will never forgive her, and she’s finally alright with that. She has people that she loves who helped make her dreams come true: Liam arranging their getaway, Bastien carrying it out, Maxwell distracting the guests with a “break dance challenge,” Drake and Olivia putting Hana’s parents and Neville in their place, and even Madeline for handling the press amidst such a scandal.

As they pull up to Valtoria, Riley takes off her necklace and places a soft kiss on it before putting it in her purse, whispering “thank you.”

Before entering, Hana stops to look at her new home and the woman who will be her wife, and she feels thankful that she’ll grow old with someone to share life, love, and happiness.


End file.
